1. Field of the Invention
Systems for, and a methods of, processing, random accessing, buffering, and playing a video utilizing segment information, where the source of the video is, for example, a DVD, a DBS, and/or video-on-demand transmission, and where the means for playing the video comprises, for example, a DVD player, a personal computer, a set-top box, and/or a multimedia player.
2. Description of the Related Art
A DVD (Digital Video Disc/Disk or Digital Versatile Disk) is a random access optical disc similar in physical dimensions to a CD with substantially more data storage capacity. A DVD can store one full length motion picture in one of two layers on either side of the disc. Many DVDs include subtitles and/or closed captioning in a plurality of languages, multiple camera angles for a scene, and the capability to play one of a plurality of different content versions (e.g., a director""s cut or unrated version and an xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d rated versions).
Devices capable of playing DVDs provide for, among other features, capabilities for fast-forward, fast rewind, skip-forward to the beginning of the next chapter, and to skip-backwards to the beginning of the current chapter and to a previous chapter, the option to turn on/off the subtitles, and if turned on, to select the language of the subtitle, select language of the audio, cameral angles, and multiple content versions.
While the DVD format provides many capabilities and functions exceeding those provided by, for example, the VHS format, as a result of concepts rooted in the conventional linearity of motion pictures, many of the capabilities and functions specified do not fully realize the potential of a randomly accessible digital video, audio, and data format.
By contrast to the passive playing of videos, as in the viewing of a motion picture, or by contrast to the interactive playing of a video, as in the playing of a computer game, a primary element of the xe2x80x9cautoactivexe2x80x9d systems and methodologies disclosed herein is the incorporation of environments, capabilities, and functions, that automatically customize the playing of videos to satisfy the particular video requirement of each of a plurality of viewers, and that deliver to each viewer a more enjoyable video experience without requiring the level of active participation inherent in interactive systems, the use of personal computers, and/or by primitive consumer electronic products.
Accordingly, it is an object to provide a multimedia multisource receiver transmitter player comprising random access and communications capabilities integrating video and communication services.
It is also an object to provide a remote control device with the functionality required to control a multimedia multisource receiver transmitter player comprising random access and communications capabilities integrating video and communication services.
It is also an object to provide for a labeling of keys consistent with the functionality required to control a multimedia multisource receiver transmitter player comprising random access and communications capabilities integrating video and communication services.
It is also an object to provide for the automated selective retrieval of non-sequentially stored, parallel, transitional, and overlapping video segments from a single variable content video source, responsive to the viewer""s video content preferences, and transmits the selected segments as a logical, seamless, and continuous version of the video.
It is also an object to play a version of a video that is highly responsive to a viewer""s content preferences, by automatically selecting among parallel, transitional, and overlapping segments included, within the video.
It is also an object to provide content control over, for example, a video""s level explicitness, detail, expertise, form of expression, subject matter, element development, and program length.
It is also an object to provide an interactive video game system comprising interactive video game software, variable content game, and a video map defining segments of the variable content game, furnishing a player of the interactive video game the automatic and logical selection of video segments responsive to the application of the player""s video content preferences to the video map, and responsive to the logic of the interactive video game software.
It is also an object to provide viewers the means of accessing available videos, segments from a video, and or segments from a plurality of videos by the use of keyword or a classification tree structure as would be required by a user accessing a very large database of segments and videos.
It is also an object to provide the means for a viewer to detail the subject matter, story line, and, or general content of a desired video so that producers of videos may elect to produce and provide the requested video.
It is also an object to provide a variety of reading architectures that produce a seamless reading of sequential and non-sequential segments of a variable content video from a single video source.
It is also an object to format the video stream, through placement and/or duplication of frames, group of frames, and/or segments to enhance the seamless playing of non-sequential segments.
It is also an object to provide for the playing of multiple play segments of a variable content video.
It is also an object to provide a device that furnishes a previewer, such a parent, the capability for efficiently previewing automatically selected segments from the video, responsive to the established preferences of a viewer, such as a child, to permit the previewer to indicate the inclusion of the selected segments in the video to be viewed by the viewer.
It is also an object to provide automated capabilities for efficiently retrieving and playing only a specified class, category, or subject matter included in segments within the selected video or set of videos as may be available from a database of videos.
It is also an object to integrate communications capabilities and read/write optical disc player capabilities within a single device to facilitate the downloading of a motion picture from a source remote to the player.
It is also an object to provide the means for a viewer to transport video and content preferences to enable autoconfiguring a player.
It is an object to enhance the viewing of a video by providing an elegant means and method for replaying for a viewer a non-understood segment of a video.
It is an object to utilize a video""s foreground and background audio elements to provide audio during a video pause.
It is an object to provide for a plurality of fast-forward variable intermittent content skipping methods.
It is an object to provide for an automatic display of a viewer defined target within a video as the target moves relative to the video""s host image.
It is an object to provide for a plurality of methods of playing presentation segments of a set of presentation segments of a scene.
It is an object to provide for the fragmented and looped playing of at least one segment of a video.
It is an object to provide for the integration of a playing of a video with the acceptance of a communication.
Briefly, these and other objects are accomplished by autoactive capabilities and functions provided by systems comprising, and methodologies utilizing, integrated processing, random accessing, and buffering technologies, variable content video structures and configurations, control capabilities, software functions, and video information, such as information that describes, defines, links, and/or combines segments of a video and/or videos, with respect to a plurality of content, technical, and presentation categories, and playing functions, that facilitate the manipulation of the playing of a video, or a plurality of videos, to satisfy a wide range of content, technical, and presentation preferences. Autoactive capabilities and function being provided, whether the source of the video is, for example, a DVD, a DBS, and/or a video-on-demand transmission, and whether the means for playing the video comprises, for example, a DVD player, a personal computer, a set box, and/or a multimedia player.
These and other features, advantages, and objects, are apparent in the context of the detailed description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims, that follow.